Massage Therapists

Hello and welcome,

I am B.J. Erkan, LMT, SEP , CEAS-I.

I have been practicing since 1994 when I graduated from the Brian Utting School of Massage. I have dedicated my life to the art and science of massage. I love everything about massage – giving, receiving, learning, and teaching it. With over 30 years of specializing in high trauma injury treatment, I have amassed 40,000+ hours of hands-on time.

I have also had the privilege of teaching at the university level, spending years at Bastyr University, and countless hours teaching continuing education to clinical therapists. My passion lies in helping people move past the pain that hinders their ability to fully participate in life. I enjoy mentoring therapists who wish to realize their full potential and helping people reclaim their lives after a traumatic event such as injuries sustained in a car accident has derailed them.

 The majority of the work I do is focused around “not forcing, but following.” The reason we don’t use excessive force, especially when treating a traumatic injury, is because it puts the body on guard, and sensing threat casuses the nervous system to reactively tense the muscles and protect the body. We also do not want to compund the trauma and the trauma response. If we take the time to clue the body into its tightness, the internal gripping, and we allow it to soften, to melt, we have lasting results, without the further provoking the inflammation response. That being said I use a wide spectrum of techniques from the most gentle, nervous system sensitive techniques, all the way to solid deep tissue, when it is warrented and won’t complicate the condition being treated. When treating a person with a painful condition, I am asking internally “what is the least amount of force and effort we can use, to create the most pain reduction and ease in the body?”  

“The way to best describe Theresa, is as a true Technician.  Theresa drops all frills and gets right to the heart of the issue.  This is the practice of bonafide medical massage at it’s finest. Theresa analyzes the situation surrounding an anatomical issue, and works expertly to correct it.

All of that said, the special thing about a treatment from Theresa, is that  you will leave the massage table, not only knowing that you are one step closer to being pain free, but also feeling refreshed, taken care of, and ready to get back  to doing all of the things  you love.”

 Lisa graduated from Discovery Point School of Massage after spending several years working in IT.  She works collaboratively with her clients to support their unique journey to wellness, helping them deepen their presence of mind and awareness of body through massage.

Lisa skillfully blends traditional Swedish massage and therapeutic outcome-based techniques such as myofascial release, neuromuscular techniques, hydrotherapy, lymphatic facilitation, sports, chair, and prenatal massage. A combination of these modalities allows her to meet her clients’ wellness goals, whether easing injury, chronic pain conditions, stress reduction, or maintenance of well-being.

Massage therapy is a means to deepen relaxation while being anatomically informed, and can help strengthen a person’s body-mind connection. Lisa strives to hold space for each unique session, and to listen with presence. She looks forward to working with you.

Jacob’s passion for massage therapy began early in life, when he wanted to find a way to help ease his mother’s pain from chronic illness. After realizing he had a talent for massage, and seeing the relaxation and healing it brought his friends and loved ones, it became a dream of Jacob’s to pursue a massage therapy certification. After graduating from Cortiva Institute of Massage Therapy, Jacob has centered his career around a deep dedication to helping his clients on the road to injury recovery and the alleviation of acute and chronic pain.

Yumi has been practicing massage for over 2 decades and has evolved into an exceptional therapist. She has studied many techniques, ranging from shiatsu to positional release, learning from both massage teachers and physical therapist instructors, and utilizes each of them when it is appropriate for patient care. Yumi’s dedication to helping her patients get out of pain from serious injury has made us grateful to have her as a senior therapist in our clinic.  Yumi pursues  her interest in the mind-body connection by both studying massage (technique, physiology, and anatomy), and with her practice of Shaolin Gongfu (also known as kung-fu).

Krystal Tannis, LMT, is a seasoned massage therapist and has lived in the Seattle area since 2000.  Krystal earned her degree in Massage Therapy and Fitness from Lake Washington Technical College in 2012. She specializes in deep tissue massage, Swedish massage, trigger point therapy, sports massage, and various other therapeutic touch techniques. 

Krystal is known for her patient approach, she is both strong and sensitive. Her go to style is slow and deep, but she has a spectrum of techniques from light and nurturing to deep tissue.  She takes the time to delve deeply into treatment ensuring a thorough and effective experience for her clients. Her primary goal is to help patients heal and recover from injuries, alleviate both acute and chronic pain, and provide relief from the body’s stresses.